287 So. 2d 759 - Herron v. State’s Empirical Analysis

Citation profile

40 state decisions

Most-quoted passages

The sentences later courts lift from this opinion, ranked by how many decisions quote each — the parts of the opinion doing the work. These counts are smaller than the citation total above because most of the 40 citing decisions cite the case generally; a passage count includes only decisions quoting that exact language verbatim.

1. “"Appellant's contention that the evidence was insufficient to support the verdict has been made and has been rejected by this Court on each of the two former appeals. The thrust of appellant's argument on this point is that the jury was bound to accept the expert opinions of the two psychiatrists who testified for him upon the issue of insanity. The opinions of these experts were, of course, competent and relevant to the issue. However, uncontradicted evidence before the jury acquainted the jurors with the conduct of the appellant before, at the time of, and subsequent to the homicide. In the context of appellant's relationship with the woman he killed, and in the light of evidence of his having been cast off by her in favor of another man, the evidence was more than ample to support a finding by the jury that appellant's act was motivated by jealousy and affronted vanity. These have been classic motives for murder since the dawn of recorded history and bring the case within a well known pattern of human behavior. But neither has been considered as excusing or justifying homicide. Appellant's preparations for the homicide show clearly a premeditated and reasoned design. In carrying it out, particularly the bringing of the pistol into the restaurant concealed in the bag after waiting for the restaurant to clear, his remarks and conduct before and at the time of the shooting, reflect an understanding of the wrongful or illegal character of his act. This is strongly supported by”

   2 later decisions quote this exact passage
   e.g. 354 So. 2d 266 - Williams v. State · 360 So. 2d 674 - Knight v. State

2. “We think the true rule is this: Every man is presumed to be sane, and, in the absence of testimony engendering a reasonable doubt of sanity, no evidence on the subject need be offered; but whenever the question of sanity is raised and put in issue by such facts, proven on either side, as engender such doubt, it devolves upon the State to remove it, and to establish the sanity of the prisoner to the satisfaction of the jury, beyond all reasonable doubt arising out of all the evidence in the case. . . . ( 56 Miss. at 276 ).”

   1 later decision quote this exact passage
   e.g. Myrick v. State

3. “[T]he defense of irresistible or uncontrollable impulse was declared in that case [ Smith v. State, 95 Miss. 786 , 49 So. 945, 946 ] to be unavailable, unless the uncontrollable impulse sprang from a mental disease existing to such a high degree as to overwhelm the reason, judgment, and conscience, in which case, as the court adds, the accused would be unable to distinguish the right and wrong of a matter. 169 Miss. at 299, 153 So. at 381.”

   1 later decision quote this exact passage
   e.g. 454 So. 2d 445 - Billiot v. State